CIA HISTORICAL REVIEW program
RELEASEed
EqarUr a" It Sw Ft-Ah)
: Chief of Station,
fbom : Chief, wh
general KUGCHN
subject .
sr-Knnc Theme Suggestion
RTBAT PBSDCCESS
The attached guidance regarding Anniversary of3 Uprisings ln Eaat Germany night be usedeg for the line that Guateaalan Coonies imported tanks to shoot the workers, to silence their demands for freedom from cceramist control and direction of their country. The situation though not strictly parallel to that in East Germany today very soon will be when the Communists can direct the use of the newly arrived tanks.
OLIVER G. OALBOND
li Distribution:
INCOLN
MEMORANDUM FOR: CHIEFS, ATTENTION:
of3 Uprisings In East Germany
June vlll be the firat anniversary of theuprising ln Eaet Germany. The Government of thoof Gcrsany has declaredegal holiday and termed It
a "day or German unity and freedom". It Is planned that the day will be observed with celebrations throughout West Cermany and West Berlin In commemoration of the East Germans who risked their lives to oppose Soviet tyranny. It is expected that the German people will adopt the dayational commemorative holiday similar in spirit to "Bastille Day" and "tho Fourth of July".
media should give maximum publicity touneymbol
of the continuing struggle for freedom from communist oppression. While
the events which occurred during last year's uprising can be freely
commented upon, media should bo careful not to anticipate this year's
observances but to comment on such events in West or East Germany only
as they ore covered In the press. The indigenous nature ofune should be highlighted.
dealing withune, one point ehocld bo ntodo over and that this date will go down ln history as the day whenrebelledo-called workers' government and weretheir demands for freedom from communist oppression by Soviet tanks
1*. Attached hereto for background InformationS IS Feature summarizing the events of3 and conditions leading to them. General propaganda guidance on the uprising and unrest In satellite Europe was contained in PID memoranda of3 end
The Riotst Germany
On June l6t general strike accompanied by rioting and attempted attacks upon the corn unlet government of Otto Grotewohl end Walter Ulbricht, took place in East Berlin. This manifestation of popular discontent end unrest in the Soviet occupied sector of the former German capital quickly spread to other areas of East Oeraany vhere the events ofhh repeated themselves. Mot until Russian troops were brought to the scene wore the quelled. The "Vopos" or people's police vere either unable or unwilling to cope with the situation.
The immediate cause of the June revolt was the deteriorated state of the East German economy. Byommunist attempts to quicken the pace of industrialization of East Germany had broughthortage of conBumer goods, hod caused hlghor work norms, lower wago scales, andreatly diminished standard of living. COHBuntst attempts at farm collectivization had resultedidal wave of defections to West Germany. This depopulation of the countryside togother with the inevitable decline ln productivity resulting from compulsoryhad reduced agricultural output to well below the minimum needs of the East German people.
Rumblings of discontent could be discerned in East Germany as early as Onh of that month, the European news agoncy, ICCews release entitled: The Peeling of Insurrection in the Soviet Zone of Cermany". The release stated: "In West Berlin and West Germany people arc very anxious about the effects of the deep, depressed tone of the population of the Soviet Zone Germany, because it may mean that tbe active realnt&nco against the consist regime will be used by the dictatorship as grounde for the liquidation of numerous opponents of the regime. News has come froa all districts of tho Soviot Zonebloody fights, riots and macs orrcats on account of the additional danger of starvation.
eek lt resulted in pitched battles in Furstenburg an derwo functionaries were beaten to death. In Rathenow an der Havel some WO workers of theGovernment) stores stormed the railroad station and plundered the food cars. The reason for this riot was that
hero had been no margerlne for severalLeipzig, Dresden,
Halle and Suhl thero were small riots against the shortage of food
'The East German press Is full of malicious accusations against
Faucints and Agents(West German Minister of All-Geriran
Affairs)'. Through radio, the press and leaflets West Berlin lepopulation of East Germany cot to allow themselves to beit is known that these adnor.itions do notreat dealnewly Increased
, reports were received telling of workers
in East Germany who were reportedly registering their dissatisfaction with norma and wages by an Increasing incidence of sporadic protoBts ond work stoppages.
On May3
On Mayho East German governmentev norm reducing; wages. Ironically enough, it van the construction workers of the much propcganized Stalinallee, project ln East Berlin who, by protesting against the new norms, sparked the chain of developments which led to tho general uprisings.
On June 5th and Oth, payment of wagea oo the basis of the new norms vere made to Stalinallee workers, concrete evidence of the government's determination to force the norm lncrcasea upon the workers. After fruitloasly protesting the new norms, the construction workers, on tho morning ofook the situation into their own banda and decided to take their complaints personally to Premier Grotowohl. Por this purpose theyemonstration march, and. Joined by sympathizers along tho way, reached the seat of the Bast German government in the Lelpzigerstraasctrong. Hero they demanded cancellation of the forced norm increases ofad price cuts in tho government-run HO stores.
By this time, the demonstrating workers realized tho "Vonoa" or people'o police had made no effort to interfere with tho march of the strikers, nor had the government yet condemned the strikers as "saboteurs" or "fascists". Perhaps taking this apparent leniencyign ofthe workers began to erpand their sphere of protest. Demands for "free elections" were beard, and banners calling for the removal of the government leaders were displayed. Still the policy did not Interfere.
In an attempt to placate the crowd. East German Ministers Selbmaon and Rau appeared and assured the workers that the government considered their demands regarding tho deduction or norms justified. The people, however, remained unconvinced, and at about three In the afternoon they decided to disperse andeneral strike for tbe next day. AtH, the Communist Radio Berlin announced that the SET) (Coenumlst Party) Politburo had proposed to lift theercent norm increase reaffirming, however, the principle of Increasing norms on the basis of persuasion and volition. The Party decision was made known to those gathered before the government offices, and In the statement read to the throng, the government warned the workero to be on guard against
"provocateurs". The statement continued: politburo requests the
-workers unite around the Party and Government and to unmask the hostile provocateurs who seek to bring discord and confusion*to the ranks of the working class."
The demonstrations onh lasted wwll into tho afternoon, and evon at nightfall many of the demonstrators remained in rotadamerplatz. Small groups remained on the streets arguing with communist party sgltutors, and sporadic outbreaks or violence between communists and denocstrotcrs took place. The peoplo'a police, however, were under orders not to use live ammunition or antagonise the demonstrators.
Realizing the serious proportions the situation hod assumed Grotewohl and Ulbrichteeting of the SED (communist party) during tbe evening ofh. The rally of tho Party faithful took place in the Priedrlchstadtpalast, nor far from where tho protest meetings were taking place. Orotewohl started the meeting with the statement that The people
end Government belong together always." Be went on to ad nit thatbad aado serious errors In the past, though these hadnistakes. He ad ait ted that the East Gernan standard ofbeen sacrificed "inedmisslhly" to the increased pace of Later, Writer Ulbricht assured the Party thatunder3 economic plan would be altered so as tothe output of mass consumer goods. Tho object of the new partyaccording to Ulbricht was the "creation of on exemplaryand the buildingeace economy which will lead to astandard than that ln West
Having thus far failed ln their attempts to conciliate the workers, the cocmuniats then began to prepare for tho worst. During the early morning hours ofoviet motorized infantry (including tanks) ond units of garrisoned people's police ln company strength began to move into East Berlin. By midafternoon,0 Soviet troopsarrisoned people's police were occupying East Berlin. The order of Juneo the people's police forbidding the use of live ammunition was rescinded.
Fully aware that they faced Soviet troops and tanks, tho workers continued with their general strike and demonstrations. Tens of thousands of railroad, textllo and steel workers, and others from factories in and near East Berlin began to march in pouring rain towards the center of the city. . some few thousand of then had assembled at Strausberger platz, near Stallnallee. They were evidently headed for the government buildings in Lelpzlgcrstrasse, where0 gathered after breaking through three cordons of people's police- Three Soviet tanks were present at this point, withore in reserve. Here end at other points of disturbance, tho people's police and Soviet tanks moved against the crowds attempting to disperse them. Some shots wero fired but actions of tho Russian troops were limited chiefly to backing up the people's police who wore still, apparently, under orders to bo cautious.
Under pressure from Soviet tanks, some demonstrators movoslto Potsdomerplotz Joining others already there. reat deal of violence took place. Police cars were overturned, communist propaganda kiosks were set afire, policemen wereor mod and two large buildings in the square were set on fire. he demonstrators tore down the Red flag from Brandenburg Gate, andest Berlin police vent on emergency alert. Atetroactive. martial law was declared. Assemblies of more than three people were not permitted,urfew was Imposed.. Transportation waa paralyzed. Food distribution broke down. Postal service ceased.
. tho government made an appeal for order and resumption of work. The government announced that those guilty of fomenting trouble in East Berlin wero "agents" of foreign powers and their "Germannd they would be severely punished.
Under the combined pressure of Soviet tanks and people's police
some semblance of order was restored, but. there were atill
heavy crovdn
heavy crowds In the Btreete, and the Soviet sector of the city was full of Soviet tanks and troops. The borderline between the east and west tones of Berlin waa tightly sealed.
. the communist Berlin radio announced that the norm increase of Mayad been cancelled. Byrder was mostly restored, and. curfew was largely observed.
Taking their cue from the Juneork stoppages in East Berlin, strikes and demonstrations broke out all over the "German Democratic Republic". Although sporadic work stoppages had previously occurred throughout East Cermany the uprising in the capital was tho signal for violent demonstrations, in such cities as Potsdam, Magdeburg, Leipzig, Warnemuonde and Goerlitx on At leastast German cities were ringed with Soviet and German armed guards. It is estimated that moreen went out oo strike in tho Hslle district alone. One of tbe hardest hit areas waa the mining districts in the south where the valuable uranium mines are located. By the end of the dayartial law almost blanketed the entire Soviet Zone of Germany, extending evon to the agricultural areas where formers took advantago of the general unreat to vent their feelings against the regime.
Telephone, telegraph and rail communicationa were disrupted in many localities. The food supply, never in good shape, was most adversely affected by the uprising, and remainedhaotic stste for several days.
Original document.
Comment about this article, ask questions, or add new information about this topic: